Mixer-muller



Sept. 16, 1952 .1.1. PARISI 2,610,373

MIXER-MULLER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 26, 1950 Sept- 16, 195? J. T.PARISI 2,610,373

A MIXER-MULLER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26, 1950 Sept. 16, 1952.1.11 PARISI 2,610,373

MIXER-MULLER Filed April 26, 195o 5 sheets-sheet s 90 @.5 3010502 231mm,Q/zfw Sept. 16, 1952 J. 1'. PARISI MIXER-MULLER Filed April 26, 1950III l l. l

.Q J JM? 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE Y Mixen-MULLER .Jules T.' Parisi, Chicago, Ill.

AApplication April 26, 1950, Serial No. 158,266

1 Claim. (Cl. 22-89) The present .invention relates to apparatusforconditioning granular or pulverulent material and more particularly toan apparatus for conditioning molding sand of the type used infoundries.

In modern foundry practice molding materials, commonly called sand,consist primarily of sand which may be either new or used sand to whichcertain other materials are added, such as binding and peelingmaterialsor agents. These materials must be thoroughly intermixed withand uniformly distributed in the-sand if uniform results are to beachieved in casting. The apparatus of the present invention embodiesimproved continuously operating means for preparing molding sand foruse.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedapparatus for conditioning molding sand for use which operatescontinuously as distinguished fromA the so-called batch typeconditioning apparatus and which is capable ofv conditioning sand in onepass through the apparatus.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a new and improvedVapparatus for conditioning molding sand whichsubjects the sand to bothmulling and mechanical mixing operations and which delivers the sandthoroughly fluiiedv and aerated in condition for use.

A further object of the` invention is to provide apparatus of the typespecified in the preceding objects which Vincorporates improved sandmulling apparatus.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide new and improvedapparatus for conditioning molding sand which may readily'be adapted andregulated for varying the amount of conditioning to which the sand issubjected.

' Another object of the invention is to provide new and improvedapparatus `for conditioning molding sand which may beused in conjunctionwith an endless conveyor that vtransportssand from a place of storage toa place of use and which apparatus conditions thel sandk while it isbeing so transported.

A further object of thezinvention is to provide new and improvedapparatus for conditioning molding sand in which the generation of heatis greatly reduced without impairing the eectiveness of the apparatus. v

A still further object of the invention is to .provide new and improvedapparatus for conditioning molding sand which' is capable of muchgreater output than known apparatus of comparable cost, and whichproduces a 'mol'ding'sand of uniform texturev that is cooler andhasgreater permeability and nowabuity than the 'sands produced byconventional mulling apparatus.

A more general object of the invention is toA provide new and improvedapparatus for conditioning molding sand which may be constructed atrelatively low cost Yand is easy tofinstall`v and maintain but whichnevertheless may be operated for extended periods ywithoutrequiring-adjustment, repair or cleaning. v-

These and other objects, advantages and capa? K bilities of theinvention will become apparent from the following description whereinreference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is asideelevational view of the improved apparatus of the present invention; i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe sand conditioning apparatus disclosed inFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is aview similar to Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale with parts of theapparatus broken away and parts in section more clearly to-disclose theinvention;

Fig. 5 is a top plan viewrof a portion of the apparatus of the presentinvention on thesame scale as Fig. 3 and with portions of the apparatusbroken away more clearly to disclose the structure thereof;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view on an enlarged scaletaken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale of themuller forming part, of the sand conditioning apparatus of the presentVinvention; and j Y Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevational View showing achain drive for the muller of the present invention. f

Referring tothe drawings, it will be seen Athat y the improved sandconditioning apparatus of the .present invention may be installed alonga section of endless conveyor such as a standard endless belt having anupper reach I2 anda lower reach I4. In describing the invention'it will.be assumed in reference to the drawings that the upper reach l2 of theconveyor moves from left to right (Figs. 1 to 3). It will further beassumed that the left hand end of the conveyor is located adjacent aplace of storage for the sandv to be conditioned such as a hopper (notshown) from which the conveyor is supplied, or it maybe supplied from aplace of storage by another yconveyor belt (not shown). The sand to:beconditioned may be either raw or spent molding sand,

conditioninggapparatuslof the present invention comprises a plurality ofseparate stages or stations, each of which includes an agitator orcutter Y stage I6 comprising a pair of rotatable cutters I8 of duplicateconstruction and a mullerstage 20 including a supporting roller 22 belowthe upper reach I2 of the conveyor and a muller roll or Wheel 24 abovethe upper-reach ofthe conf-l veyor. Since these stages are of duplicate.construction, only one willfbe described in detail. n Figs. 1 to 3 thecuttersI I8 and muller rolls 24 are arranged for an endlessconveyorwhoseupperl reach I2gis traveling from4 leftto right -as'seen in those views.Threes-tagesare shown in Figs. 1 and 2'but thenumber ofthese stages maybe increasedor decreased as required properly" to condition a particularkind ofv moldingsand or asandfo'r a particular use,

Support for the sand-conditioning elements is provided by a mainiraniens-structural irons comprising aY plurality of verticallyextending angle Yironsf2'6` interconnected by a plurality'ofvlongitudinally extending horizontal angle members 28, 30; 32-and134, anda pluralityof `transversely extending horizontal angle iron-members 36.These frame-members-arejoinedto each other by Welding, boltingo1-'anyAother suitable means. This mainframe extendselongitudinally of theendless conveyor-anduside and top-wall plates r38 and 40,--respectively, extending the length of the mainframe are secured theretovto form a housing enclosing the cutters-*mandat least a portionfof themullerv wheels-V24.- However, the top wall 4U-and the side walls 38Y atthe muller stages are provided with apertures for apurpose to bedescribed. End Wall plates 42 may be vpro-- vided toclosetheoppesite'ends. of Athe housing formed byf-the top andsidewall plates.This housing is somewhat narrower than the endless conveyor and thelower -edges Yof -the sidewall plate 38 extend into close proximity -tothe top side of the upper reach- I Zof the conveyor as indicated at 44-(Fig.- 6)` so as to tend -tovprevent material onfthel conveyorv-.fromVspilling.oir-the A'sides thereon 1 Preferably doorsV 46v (Figs. 1and-4)` are-hinged to openings 4B in the side wall plates-38-oppositethe cutters I8 sothat access may readily Vbe had to these cutters.Openings SII-inthe side-walls 33 to the rear of the muller rolls 24 donot necessari-ly lhaveto be'closed because the sand*A is lbeingcompacted on theconveyorat lthe .muller stages and thus will not belikely: turbe` scattered through the openings` 50.

Circulation of airfthrough the housing for the purpose of coolingfthesand onthe conveyor and to prov-ide ventilation may be had throughbranchv pipes52V communicating at one end with the` upper end ofthehousing for the cutters and mullers. over the cutters I8 at eachstageand at theother, end with an exhaust duct54 connectedto-a suitablesource of suction.

The cuttersrl'8-in`feaoh stage preferably each comprisey three lmetaldiscs -56ifnxed1ly mounted in spacedrrelation upon atsupporting: anddriveT shaftitll (Figs. and 6) which'discs support two;

4 sets of blades 60 in angularly disposed relation to each other. Theseblades each preferably comprise a relatively heavy band or ribbonhelically curved from end to end thereof. o At their opposite ends theblades are received in radially extending notches or slots 62 inadjacent discs 56 and they may be fixed thereto by welding or othermeans.- The cutter shafts 58 are rotatably supported. adjacentOppositelendstinfsuitable pillow blocks 64 :fixed to, thelongi'fudinally extending horizontal frame members 28 so as to supportthe periphery of the cutters spaced approximately 9e of an inch abovethe top side of the upper f reach -I2 of the conveyor.

' second cutter ineach-stageI--is-:drivenl fromthe.

shaft -ofthe -rst by-meansfot alVz-,belt 1241 '('Fig. 5) whichYpasses-overduplicate pulleys lxxed. on thecutter-shafts` 51k for. the`two` cutters in eachstage -I6. Thus.- the twoy cutters1..ineachi stageare driven.. in they same.directiQn.-.and1 at the Asame speed` The-peripheryof-l these cutters;-

preferably move. in-- the. same.` directiang assthe. direction of linearmovement. of. the -upperareachf I2 yof the conveyor-onthat.'sidelofythel-cuttersf whichlis being carried toward'theconveyors..The cutters therefore.- rotate. .in-f. a... counterclockwise. direction'as seen1inFig.'3.:. Itrfhas 'beenefoundf that best results areobtained-immoist.casesrwhen; the peripheral speed ofthecutters.-l8s'zisgapproximately eight Ytimesgtheslinear. speed? offthe;` con:yveyor `although l othersspeedsrmay A: begused gif@ cir.,- cumstancesmakeit. desirable.V`

Each ofthe muller. rolls .Zltcomprisesahollom cylindrical. drum 18`:Fig.16) prefegrablytofstain;Y less steel having enclosing end walls'gtolfllcl circular flanges 82; ori-hubs. 8,4 Aarefboltedfp therwise xedlysecured: The. hubs-8.41am fixed uDQrl;

drive and supportingi--shafts lBI-fby means'. 0f. Sefascrews Bain thehubs.84..i

The muller roll shafts:8I5.are;rotatably.supev ported adjacentopposite-end ull'fblebcar: ingsv SUcarried adjacenlzthe redes@ :af-Deirof rocker v,arms` Il2vjgvvhi rishts welded r otherwissuitably securedadr!7 jacent their ylovvev A, ends.,to-vthefree-lends therocker;@1111151.92and1 cross piece. ,SlcenncctingthegupplT/ends-,oflthes .vertica ame members. 94 tubular spaceEssl-.mayb prov/idedfber. tween the anchore p `,ends of .thegrolcerss52,..v to rigidify the .entiremuller ,roll ,trama A, connection between5 the ,mai-n. frame,.-and muller roll frame to adapt theflattenzand;the;mullerroll for rockinggmovementrelatiyettq; the main-.frame maybeinrvided ferxample. .by oppositely extendingztrunnions-IIIl iurnal'ed: n`- Suitable'. pillow blvcks 102 xed imonflonsitudi 1.V framemembers 30. A sha A w verselv of the-flecken through etheispscer 98mih'l'rfb'ued' QIJheiSame i 1 -uDarights ,9A-inthe; mul exbendrthrousbithe.apertureslprcvieusl. desa .bed in thetcewalll 40. sof theheusnesgand the apertures 50; in the.:

rens.suelav ex.. ,ladina-transe of the mullerv wheel frame relative tothese side walls. t t

Adjacent their free ends the rocker arms 92 are provided with stops inthe form of cap screws |04 which are 'adapted to engage upon cooperatingstops |06 fixed to certain of the vertically extending members 26 in themain frameto limit movement of the rocker arms 92, and muller roll 24toward the upper reach I2 of the conveyor. The distance the muller rollis supported above the conveyor by these cooperating stops can be Variedby turning the adjusting screws |04 one way or theother and then lockingthe same at a position of adjustment by means of lock nuts IIS. Ascraper H0. is provided for each muller roll 24 which scraper may besecured to the muller roll framework in any suitable manner (Figs. 3 and7).

Like the cutters I8, each of the muller rolls 24 has its own source ofpower which may com- Prise a conventional electric motor H2 mounted on'the cross member 96 in the muller roll frame (Fig. 6). Through a gearreduction unit enclosed in a housing H4 this motor drives a relativelysmall sprocket H6 drivingly connected by means .of a sprocket chain H8to a relatively large sprocket fixed on the muller roll shaft 86. Anidler sprocket |22 carried by a rockably mounted arm-|24 which may belocked at various positions of adjustment maintains the sprocket chainH8 taut. Preferably a suiiicient reduction c in speed is provided by themotor driven gear reduction and the sprockets H6 and |20 so that theperipheral velocity of the muller roll 24 is substantially the same asthe linear velocity of the upper reach of the conveyor. The mullerl rollpreferably rotates in the same direction as' the cutters, namely,counterclockwise as seen in Fig. 3.

By reason of this mounting of the motor H2 on the muller roll frame, itweights the muller roll frame and the muller roll 24. If desired ornecessary additional weights (not shown) may be placed on the crossframe member 66 to hold the muller roll 24 against the sand on theconveyor. Additional weight may also be supplied by providing the mullerroll 24 with a lling opening |26 through which sand or liquid may besupv plied tothe interior of the roll to thus weight the same theAamount desired. This opening is closed by a suitable screw threaded capor Plug |28.

Subjacent' support for the upper reach I2 of the conveyor to relievestrainthereon during mulling and to improve the mulling action of themuller roll 24 vis provided by the supporting roller 22 which issupported below the conveyor and is freely rotatable on an axisextending transversely of the conveyor in a plane extendingsubstantially vertically vthrough the axis of the `muller roll 24.Roller 22, which may be of conventional construction, has trunnions |30(Fig. 6) at opposite ends thereof rotatable `in suitable pillow blocks|32 supported onV longitudinally extending channels |34 in the mainframe by means of pedestals or brackets |36. Subjacent support for theupper 'reach |2 of the conveyor to prevent sagging is also provided by aplurality of conventional supporting rollers |38 rotatably supported insuitable brackets or standards |46 carried by the longitudinal channelmembers |34. Preferably one of these rollers |38 is located at a pointintermediate the two cutters I3 in each cutter stage |6 as indicated inFig. 3.

Subjacent support for the lower reach |4 of the conveyormay be providedby a plate |42 |46 between the muller rolls 24 and the cutters i8adjacent thereto -in the direction of forward movement of the conveyor.The shovels |44 may be made from a relatively heavyplate attached at oneend to any suitableV rigid support such as the inner side of thesidewall plates 38 with their lower edges in close proximity to theupper reach I2 of the conveyor. These plates are inclined inwardly sothat they extend inwardly of the lateral edges of the conveyor. Sand istherefore stripped from these edges of the conveyor and is directed orplowed toward the .center thereof. Each divider |46 may consist of atriangular shaped metal plate and the dividers (are supported above theconveyor from any Briefly to describe the .operation of the im.

proved mixer-muller, the unconditioned molding sandalong with theadditional ingredients necessary to form a finished molding material orsand are supplied to the left hand end of the rconveyor (Figs. l to-3)as previously explained in a layer which may be from one to three inchesthick.

rAs the material on the conveyor is carried past the relatively rapidlyrotating cutters I8 in the rst cutter stage |6, it is thoroughlyagitated, thus tending to reduce 'any lumps therein and to mix theseveral ingredients thoroughly and at the same time aerate and viiuffthel material. Furthermore, due to the helical curvature of the blades60 in the cutters I8 the material on the conveyor is plowed toward thecenter of the conveyor. This and the fact that the housing plates 38enclose the cutters and extend into close proximity to the topside oftheupper reach |2 of the conveyor prevent the-material from being scatteredfrom the conveyor during mixing.l Any material which by chance happens`to remain nearthe edges of the conveyor as it is moved. past theshovels |48 by the conveyor is plowed inwardly of the edges of theconveyor.

Material is then moved by the conveyor under the'muller roll 24 and isthoroughly mulled thereby during the course of which it is spread acrossthe conveyor and compacted intov a layer of substantially eventhickness. From the muller roll 24 the sand is carried past the dividers|46 vand shovels 44 located ahead of the succeeding cutter aereas-2 7' YY the sand is movedto 'the succeeding'cutter stage I6 and the processdescribed above is repeated;A

In order that the sand shall'be in'conditionfor use when it leaves thelast mixer-muller stage vin the conditioning apparatus, a cutterstage|50 (Figs. l and 2) similarY to the cutter stages I6 is providedfollowing thelast'muller stage 20. operation to the cutters I8previously described are provided in` this cutterstage- 150:- YFor thisreason Athe sand 'leaving' thisv cutter 4'stage yis thoroughly fluffedand aerated to ithuscool the same. It therefore' is. ready 'foruse,"and` vtothe 1 extreme Vright of th'ezportion'l oi the 'conveyor'shown` in Figs. 1 and12: means maybe 'provided' for Yremovingjthepreparedmoldingjsand A,at a station or stations .Where it is to' beused;crit may be conveyed tov a .place of'storage Byvirtue of the cooperativeactionofithe mix ers and mullers molding sand roperated uponby theapparatus ofthe present-invention not' only' is lump-free `and more`permeable but "also is more fiowable Aandappreciably cooler'thanV sandvconditioned by the ordinary batch.l type muller.A As a matter of fact',YVentilation for cooling pur; poses, is hardly necessary.'

The improved conditioning" apparatus de-l scribed herein mayNV be':operated continuouslyV because it is not necessary tov stop :thesarnefor loading and unloading. The. entire operationtis thereforeexpedited and a'mixer-mullermof; the type described herein is capable'of an Voutput at least double that of afbatchxtype' muller'ofcomparable cost YIn additionysince 'thelo'ading and unloading joperationsy incidenti4 to the use' of a .batchxtype /mullerj are'eliminated' in the use of the presentmixer-muller', there less- Wastageand'v fewer` attendants; 'are' requiredjto operateV the conditioner.` y

Another advantage`4 ofthe mixer-muller-"de-r scribed lhereinisthe factthat' in many instances it may'readilybeinstalled along existingconveyorlines Without requiring extensive rearrangement or modificationthereof; thus' reducing thecost of` installation'.V It is also to beAnotedth'at the presentY apparatus' may be` fabricatedlfa'lmost en*-tirely from'standardstru'ctura'l' irons or other.' standard parts andthereforeiits cost ofL manu'- facture is relatively'loun By'virtu'eotheirconstruction the vvarious"parts"of 'the' apparatus' Y..

tend to vbe self'A cleaning4v andA have; a long life'. Maintenance afterinitial adjustment of' the' apparatus therefore ls` negligible because'it con#4 sists mainly of. the lubrication' of-thebearingsin the variouspillow blocks:V

It will be' observed thatadditi'onalstages may readily be added toytheapparatus' if required"*by*l the state of the m'aterial'whi'chis4being condi;- tioned, or the amount ofconditioning to-vvhi'cl'rit isdesired to subjectthematerial'. Thusthe ap?-v paratus can be organized.so` that the materia is completely conditionedinonepass;Furthei'rn'i'ore,y

since the mixers and 'mullers haveindiviiiuai' sources of power, one.orm'ore'. oft thestagesina conditioning apparatus, may bev readilycutout"if" that becomes desirable. Moreover the; apparatus'A ofthepresent invention is also adaptable foriuse' with conventionall batchtype equipmentowhere: conditioning additional" t'o that provided bytheconventional equipment is desired.

Although it is contemplated thatthe sand;bein"gj, conditioned` shall"be. sulcljjectedy to" .theY actionro'f Cutters 152, similar4 inconstruction and s' both' the cutters and mullers, in some instances orwith particular sands a sufficient conditioning maybe achieved by merelysubjecting the'sand to the operation of themullerwheels orv the cut tersvand such operationA can readily' be had in view of the factV thatv eachof the muller Vand each ofthe `:cutter stages has'an'individual sourceof power. This' also' allows less than all ofthe cutter stages ormullerstages to bel placed in operation" when the operation of all is notnecessary'.

While preferred embodiments of the vinvention have been'shown anddescribed, itV willbe appar ent that numerous Yvariations andmodifications thereof maybe made without departing 'from the underlyingprinciplesof 'the invention. Itis desired, therefore, 'by the following'claiinto include within the scope of the invention all such vari;4ations and modifications by which' substantially the results of theinvention may be obtained Y through the use of substantially rthe sameor equivalent means.

Iclaim:

A conditioner for granular or pulverulentmaterial having a drivenconveyor belt for carrying said, material. along the upper. reachthereof through the. conditioner, means for supporting the movement ofsaid belt' including a plurality ofv subjacent support rollers spacedapart beneath said reach, a mixer for said materialV comprisinga-.pairof rotating cutters having helically curved blades successively carriedinto Close proximity to thev upper reach, said pair ofbladeslbeingarranged above the saidbelt in position along said reach andadjacent to but between subjacent support rollers, whereby thev beltbetween said support rollers will yield. when pressed downward by theblades engaging said Vmaterial thereon, means drivingly connected withsaid cutters adaptedA to rotate the same so that the peripheral speedthereof. is substantially greater than the belt speed; and in the samedirectiony at theA bottom of the cutters Wherebyisaid cutters will'cutinto sai-dj material and throw the'v same into the air to mix andaerater the same as thematerial moves along said conveyor,V a pluralityof Walls on theV conditioner arranged toencloseithe mixer,l a mixer rollpositioned to operate. on. the material afterfit has beenagitated bysaid cutters,` a motor geared tosaid mullerrroll toi drive the' same',saidv motori being mounted in association withsaidl muller rollso as toWeight the roll additionally, said ro'll and@ motor being freely movabletogether' toward'v said upper reach fori holdingv the`v m'uller rollagainst thel material.

fhefollowing"references are"`of record inthe ille' `ofi this" patentz'UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept.- 10;.1931

